It is known that the restoration of aged skin tissue or chapped skin tissue to its original condition is closely associated with cytokine activity. In addition, it is known that changes in cytokine activities are closely correlated with certain diseases. Various attempts to use cytokines to treat these diseases have been and are being actively pursued.
Cytokines may be administered to patients orally or by parenteral administration, such as by injection or endermic application. However, these methods require continuous administration of a large amount of expensive cytokines to the patient until complete recovery is achieved. These methods are therefore costly and time-consuming.
Alternatively, a substance that promotes the production of cytokines may be administered. Like direct administration of cytokines, the substance may be administered to the patient orally or by parenteral administration such as injection or endermic application. However, like the administration of cytokines, the administration of cytokine production enhancers are costly and time-consuming.
The administration of large amounts of cytokines for extended periods of time is further problematic in that the treatment often disrupts the patient's overall metabolism. In addition, external application of cytokines are ineffective in achieving a local effect, due to decomposition or poor absorbability of the compound. Therefore, a safer method for treating aged or chapped skin is desirable.